Rating: Summary: A Magical Movie that ruins the imagination of the books Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is not a perfect book to screen movie. The special features disc is designed for fans of the book and though I am one I found it very disappointing. I was hoping for commentary tracks covering the sets, translating book to screen with J.K.R., and visual effects. I hoped the second disc would go behind the movie but it is just a dumb kid fun land. The movie itself also ruins how I saw things (through Mary Grandpre, that is). I can only hope also that Warner Bros. quits having HP toys all over the place. I felt personally insulted being an older HP fan that Warner Bros. completely ignores.
Rating: Summary: Not for the young ones!!! Review: Ok,So I KNOW I'm laying myself on the cross for this one BUT, I really do feel that some of the contents of this movie are NOT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!!! While I was dazzled with the visual effects and the sound track of the movie, I was also amazed at the age range that they are saying this movie can be viewed by. I don't know about you folks but, my younger kids would have been scarred ... by some of the scenes in this movie. This being said, it's a well developed movie, that you'll want to watch again and again, just be careful with the young ones.(I'd pre-view the movie first before showing it to your younger children) Ciao!!
Rating: Summary: good but Review: I'm not sure why this movie is in the 3-6 years range. I wouldn't let me 5 yr old see it.
Rating: Summary: One of the Greatest Adaptations Ever!! Review: Although one of the greatest movie adaptions ever filmed, this film is a little non-professional. Great visual effects, impressive debut from Radcliffe and intense action scenes complement this film adaptation from one of the most popular book series of all time. Despite all this however, the film also contains an absolutely terrible, worthless, in the gutter performance from Rupert Grint as Ron ( you'd think they'd be a bit more selective with the kids ) and a rather impressive but obnoxious performance from Hermione(Emma Watson). It also seemed that the filmmakers didnt know what to do with the visual effects (flying, wizardry) and were just trying to figure out where all of them went. The most significant factors from this film however are Richard Harris and Maggie Smith, the 2 most charming actors I have ever seen in a childrens flick, and anyone of any age should enjoy this film thoroughly.
Rating: Summary: Go HaRrY ITz Yo BiRtHdAy! Review: Dan was great in this movie i wantched it voer and over again...but i am a bigger fan of the books becuz that way you can imagine wutz happening..but the movie Rox my worLd!
Rating: Summary: Wow Harry potter Rules Review: Here we find Harry and his friends facing the challages of growing up while also exploring the halls of hogworts the enchanted scool of witchcraft and wizardry, Harry and his friends must save the Magical world by Stopping Lord_V from coming back to life ! If you have not seen this movie buy it now and don't forget to pick up the next one as well Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Rating: Summary: I would rather watch my dog puke. Review: The characters, the story, everything is stupid in this movie. I wasn't to impressed by the eye candy either. This movie makes me sick.
Rating: Summary: It made me so interested that I went and Bought the Books Review: I enjoyed this movie so much, that I went and bought all 4 Harry Potter Books. I cann't wait for book 5.
Rating: Summary: THE WONDER OF ENCHANTMENT Review: For a lot of reasons, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is probably a tempting movie to criticize. After all, there is almost nothing a critic hates more than a film that is practically - baring some unforgivable act of gross incompetence - a guaranteed success, despite anything he or she might happen to write about it. At any rate, while some may quibble with the notion that Sorcerer's Stone is too much like the book that inspired it, the upside for moviegoers is that neither Rowling nor director Christopher Columbus have forgotten the film's primary audience: young readers between the ages of 12 - 16. For those whose parents read the book to them, the age may actually drop a bit below that. For the most part, as every parent knows, it is an audience frequently patronized with the worst sort of infantile pap imaginable, inundated with coarse language and gratuitous violence, or simply ignored altogether. Columbus, to his credit, does none of the above. In remaining true to his audience, Columbus has, in fact, delivered a film for all of us. It is obvious Columbus knows, for instance, that a young audience wants to see on the screen what it read in the book. In pursuit of this goal, Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves have fashioned characters and settings true to the letter and the spirit of the novel. The characters, especially, strike just the right chord of familiarity. Certainly, we all know that familiarity can wander over the line into disinterested comfort. Remarkably, the characters in Sorcerer's Stone never do. Robbie Coltrane's Hagrid, for instance, looks just as we expect him to. More important, he radiates a warmth and trust that serves as a secure anchor in those moments when events seem to be spinning out of control. As good as Hagrid is in the book, Coltrane's Hagrid is more vivid on the screen. Which brings us to the performance of Daniel Radcliffe in the role of Harry Potter. At first glance, Radcliffe seems reticent and withdrawn, hidden behind a gauze curtain, an uncertain hero. Yet we cannot forget that Harry Potter is an eleven year-old orphan whose parents have been murdered. He is a foundling whose caretakers resent his existence and actively disapprove of everything he is and, worse, in their own eyes, everything he will become. He is forced to sleep in a closet under the stairs and absorb a constant stream of verbal and physical abuse from his malevolent aunt and uncle and their overindulged son, Dudley. Yes, of course Harry is withdrawn. Small wonder. Or, as my daughter would say, "Duh!" In fact, Radcliffe's performance is entirely consistent with Harry's history and upbringing, and Columbus has wisely ensured that, as the chronicle of films progresses, the character of Harry has somewhere to go. There are, after all, six movies still to come. Columbus has clearly determined that, unlike some other celluloid heroes of recent memory (Indiana Jones springs to mind), the character of Harry Potter should have some room to develop, otherwise both the young wizard and his friends would grow quickly stagnant. Another notable attribute of the film is that the atmosphere and setting, through the more subtle elements of special effects, are beautifully realized. As the first-years are journeying across the lake, their - and our - first view of Hogwarts Castle is absolutely breathtaking, a spectacular, gothic memory from a medieval dream. Inside the castle are stairways that move, pictures that talk and go about their daily routines, and a splendid dining hall that evokes the grandeur of a cathedral. When the Sorting Hat pronounces "GRIFFINDORE" on this opulent stage, Harry's adventures officially begin. Yes, the adventure has its obvious, special effects masterpieces. The Quidditch match is a high-flying, fast-paced extravaganza of soccer, polo, and basketball on broomsticks. The chess match is the high point of the film. At the same time, there are special effects so well done that they don't draw attention to themselves. The messenger owls flying gracefully into the dining hall to deliver envelopes and parcels is a brief, finely structured, aerial ballet that is easy to take for granted because we are momentarily suspended in the world of Hogwarts and have willingly cast aside our powers of disbelief. When Hedwig flies above Hogwarts Castle, our spirits and our sense of wonder soar with him. It is an impressive accomplishment. Because it is true to itself and never panders to its audience, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is both exciting and entertaining, an escape to a world where magical things can still happen. It is, in short, a film for the child in all of us.
Rating: Summary: Sorcerer's Stone is Rock Bottom Review: I know that this is an enormously popular series, and I've tried quite hard to like it (I read all the books too), but I can't get past the copious shortcomings of Harry Potter. For one thing, it's terribly overwraught; the supreme clumsiness and obviousness with which the writer tries to manipulate our emotions is totally laughable. In fact, I can't believe that even children fall for it. Not to mention the fact that there is no room for humanity is any of the "villains". None of them are shown to have any redeeming features at all; they are so one dimensional that they might as well be cardboard cutouts with "bad guy" stencilled across their foreheads. Nor is there ever any opportunity for them to be forgiven or to be allowed to make amends. The show very much promotes an "us and them" attitude among the heroes. Even when one of the bad guys offers to make up he is rejected by Harry. This brings me to the actor who plays Harry, Daniel Radcliffe, the worst child actor I've ever seen in my life. I could forgive him his lousy acting if only his expressions were a bit more human. The kid has all the facial complexity of an old Japanese cartoon character. He has two expressions: utter delight and joy when awful things happen to people he doesn't like, and a vengeful scowl until these things do happen. Also, the show promotes kids lying and stealing to get what they want (the end oh-so justifies the means); it encourages cliquiness and a ruthlessness towards opponents (win at all costs!). This is certainly nothing new, and neither is the advocation of disrespect and disobedience towards authority, but it grates just the same. As for the film production, it's pretty good, though not spectacular. The sets are contextually predictable and the special effects are average. Everyone but the star does a fairly good job of acting; there are a bunch of cameos by more established actors, though most of the scenes feature Harry and his two friends. All in all, I'd not recommend this movie to anyone.
|